DrawForming: An Interactive Fabrication Method for Vacuum Forming

Abstract

We propose DrawForming that is able to mold objects quickly and repeatedly by combining a vacuum forming method with a dynamic transformable surface. This fabrication tool can remake objects of various uneven surfaces repeatedly and quickly, using a mold that changes its form dynamically using motors. Moreover, for directly designing forms, we propose an interactive method that can determine uneven points by drawing on a surface. The mold is transformed based on the drawn figures, the users place the heated soft material onto its mold, and the system fabricates the surface of the object by vacuuming from the bottom. Users could create a 3D topographical model using a camera that detects the contour lines of a map, and combine readymade goods and a dynamic mold. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of this novel interactive method for fabricating surface objects.